He added: “The Procurator Fiscal said there were 2470 images of children found. It’s my submission that the nature of this conviction means Mr McFarlane is unfit to teach.

“There are certain aggregating factors. It is clear Mr McFarlane did not accept his guilt in having pseudo images of children.

“The fact he has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register makes him incompatible with the profession.

“He clearly falls below the standards you would expect of a registered teacher.

“There has not been any evidence of insight to his action and for these reasons, I say Mr McFarlane is unfit to teach.”

After agreeing to strike him off, Donald MacKay, the chairman of the panel, said: “Mr MacFarlane has fallen significantly short of the standards of what you expect by a registered teacher. The respondent is therefore unfit to teach.

“The respondent is to be removed from the register.”

McFarlane, who was neither present nor represented at the hearing, will only be allowed to teach again by applying to Scottish Ministers and convincing them he is safe to return to the classroom.